What TEF Canada score do I need for NCLC 7?
Checked November 1, 2026
For Express Entry, NCLC 7 on TEF Canada starts at 249 in listening, 207 in reading, 310 in writing and 310 in speaking. IRCC tells you to use the “Équivalence ancien score” column of your results, not the score out of 699, and warns that entering the wrong one can get your application refused.
Express Entry, “Équivalence ancien score”
| NCLC | Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 298–315 | 248–262 | 371–392 | 371–392 |
| 8 | 280–297 | 233–247 | 349–370 | 349–370 |
| 7 | 249–279 | 207–232 | 310–348 | 310–348 |
| 6 | 217–248 | 181–206 | 271–309 | 271–309 |
If you took TEF Canada between 11 December 2023 and 6 May 2024, CCI Paris Île-de-France temporarily changed how NCLC levels were set and then reverted it. IRCC says affected candidates got an email with updated scores and must update their profile.
Your TEF Canada attestation shows two sets of numbers. IRCC says to enter only the “Équivalence ancien score” in your Express Entry profile. The “Score / 699” column is not compatible with its system for now.
A PGWP uses the other scale
For a post-graduation work permit, IRCC’s page converts TEF Canada results out of 699. For a test taken after 10 December 2023, NCLC 7 is 434 in reading, 428 in writing, 434 in listening and 456 in speaking. So the same attestation is read with a different column depending on the file. Check the page for your own application.
TEF or TCF
The NCLC levels are the same for both tests, but the scores are not. On TCF Canada, NCLC 7 is 458 in listening, 453 in reading and 10 out of 20 in writing and speaking. No official source says one test is easier. The formats differ, and TCF Canada or TEF Canada compares them. Our free writing check marks TCF Canada tasks out of 20, not TEF Canada sections, so it is useful only if you are choosing or preparing TCF Canada.